martes, 16 de diciembre de 2014

Dolphin 'living alone for 30 years in Irish harbour' spotted leaping next to boat

Dolphin nicknamed Fungi, believed to have lived in Irish harbour alone for past 30 years, spotted within touching distance of a boat

A dolphin nicknamed Fungi, thought to have lived alone in an Irish harbour for the past 30 years, was photographed leaping within touching distance of a boat after chasing the vessel.

The image was taken by Mike Murphy, 45, after he managed to whip his iPhone out to capture a shot on the dolphin’s fourth leap in a row next to his boat as he returned from the seaweed farm he runs in Dingle Harbour in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland.

The dolphin is well-known among locals and popular with tourists, with boat tours organised for the sole purpose of spotting Fungi in the bay, where it is believed to have lived alone for 30 years.

David Millard, 45, who was with Mr Murphy when he took the photo on Monday afternoon, said: “The dolphin torpedoed next to us. He’s very playful. He will chase the boats around the harbour.

“There’s quite a tourist industry on the back of him, lots of Fungi boats that take tourists out, and he will follow the fastest boats.

“The most amazing thing is he was circling the boat, he goes at incredible speed.”

Mr Millard, 45, who works for the Irish Sea Fisheries Board, added: “If I had stuck my hand out, I could have touched him.

“I have seen him a couple of dozen times, but never in such close proximity. I have heard he can jump over the top of the boats. It was such an experience.”